Charge rollers (CRs) are used to charge a photoconductor in hard imaging systems (e.g., laser-printer imaging systems). Similar to Scorotron/Corona charging, charge rollers use air ionization to charge a photoconductor. However, a charge roller has increased charging efficiency (close to 100% charging efficiency) and uses lower voltages (˜1500V) compared with Scorotron charging (˜6500V). Charge rollers are typically used in dry (e.g., toner-based) electrophotography processes. In liquid electrophotography processes using a photoconductor having a seam, charge rollers may create print quality defects due to accumulation of imaging fluid in defects or wrap-over sections (e.g., seam regions) on the photoconductor. Movement of the charge roller over a section of the photoconductor having an uneven layer of imaging fluid causes breakdown of the imaging fluid thereby depositing excess imaging oil on the photoconductor during each rotation of the charge roller. The extra imaging oil not only causes disturbance of normal imaging processes but also causes disruption of the Paschen curve and the photoconductor charging voltages, thereby leading to non-uniformity in charging and print quality defects.
Further, the charge roller interacts with the imaging oil and creates a sticky polymer that may coat the photoconductor. The above drawbacks may contribute to photoconductor quality issues by interfering with the photoconductor/blanket image transfer, interfering with image development, and interfering with cleaning of the photoconductor. The above drawbacks may also cause problems relating to photoconductor lateral conductivity, and uneven photoconductor charging. As a result, lifetime of consumables may decrease and the printing cost per page may increase. Furthermore, the created polymer is transferred to the photoconductor at distances corresponding to the circumference of the charge roller. For example, the charge roller during each rotation rolls some of the polymer onto the photoconductor, and the end result is a defect having a shape of the uneven imaging oil layer causing formation of images having decreasing intensities with increasing rotations of the charge roller. Improved imaging devices and methods are desired.